The World of Horse Racing
Horse racing is an exciting, thrilling and historic sport that has influenced the world in many ways. Behind the romanticized facade of the race is a world of injuries, drug abuse and even gruesome breakdowns. While spectators show off fancy outfits and sip mint juleps, horses are forced to run, often under the threat of whips, at speeds that can cause them serious injury and even death. They are pushed to their limits, and as a result many of them will bleed from their lungs during the race, known as exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage. The horses are then subjected to cocktail of legal and illegal drugs that mask the symptoms of their injuries, as well as enhance performance.
The use of a horse for athletic competition dates back thousands of years. Ancient people used horses for hunting and transport, but only later did horse racing develop into a sport and an industry. In medieval England, wealthy nobles and aristocrats demonstrated the top speed of their horses by racing them over short distances on open fields and roads. Professional riders, known as jockeys, were employed to ride the horses and ensure their safety. During this time, races were typically held over a quarter mile or less.
In modern times, races have become longer and more complicated. There are a variety of different types of horse races that can be run, and each race has its own set of rules and regulations. Generally, a race will require horses to meet specific age, sex, birthplace and weight requirements in order to be eligible for the event. Additionally, there are a number of other restrictions in place that are designed to create fair and competitive racing events. For example, a race may only be open to horses that have won a certain amount of money in the previous year, or it may be restricted to a particular geographic area or a race type (for instance, a handicap).
There are also a variety of other restrictions and regulations that exist in the race industry, such as an auxiliary starting gate, which is used when the number of horses entering the main start gate exceeds capacity. Additionally, there are a number of medical and veterinary practices that are commonly used in race training, such as acupuncture (the application of needles to treat an animal or human with the aim of stimulating or realigning their electrical fields) and polysulfated glycosaminoglycan, which is commonly known as Adequan.
While critics argue that journalists should spend less time on horse race coverage and focus more on policy issues, the First Amendment gives news outlets broad leeway to report what they like. Ultimately, it is up to each individual to decide whether or not they want to read, watch and discuss the election coverage that interests them.
Horse racing is an exciting, thrilling and historic sport that has influenced the world in many ways. Behind the romanticized facade of the race is a world of injuries, drug abuse and even gruesome breakdowns. While spectators show off fancy outfits and sip mint juleps, horses are forced to run, often under the threat of whips, at speeds that can cause them serious injury and even death. They are pushed to their limits, and as a result many of them will bleed from their lungs during the race, known as exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage. The horses are then subjected to cocktail of legal and illegal drugs that mask the symptoms of their injuries, as well as enhance performance. The use of a horse for athletic competition dates back thousands of years. Ancient people used horses for hunting and transport, but only later did horse racing develop into a sport and an industry. In medieval England, wealthy nobles and aristocrats demonstrated the top speed of their horses by racing them over short distances on open fields and roads. Professional riders, known as jockeys, were employed to ride the horses and ensure their safety. During this time, races were typically held over a quarter mile or less. In modern times, races have become longer and more complicated. There are a variety of different types of horse races that can be run, and each race has its own set of rules and regulations. Generally, a race will require horses to meet specific age, sex, birthplace and weight requirements in order to be eligible for the event. Additionally, there are a number of other restrictions in place that are designed to create fair and competitive racing events. For example, a race may only be open to horses that have won a certain amount of money in the previous year, or it may be restricted to a particular geographic area or a race type (for instance, a handicap). There are also a variety of other restrictions and regulations that exist in the race industry, such as an auxiliary starting gate, which is used when the number of horses entering the main start gate exceeds capacity. Additionally, there are a number of medical and veterinary practices that are commonly used in race training, such as acupuncture (the application of needles to treat an animal or human with the aim of stimulating or realigning their electrical fields) and polysulfated glycosaminoglycan, which is commonly known as Adequan. While critics argue that journalists should spend less time on horse race coverage and focus more on policy issues, the First Amendment gives news outlets broad leeway to report what they like. Ultimately, it is up to each individual to decide whether or not they want to read, watch and discuss the election coverage that interests them.